GIPSIES camped at Fetcham have threatened Mole Valley Council with fresh legal action in a bid to allow them to stay on their site at River Lane.

Solicitors acting for the families have told the council that they might seek a judicial review of the case unless it “reconsiders and rescinds” its decision to clear the land.

The council’s development committee are due to consider the latest position at their meeting next Wednesday night.

The gipsies will submit a petition bearing more than 500 signatures in support of their case. The petition maintains that the families “are trying to live in peace” and to provide their children with an education. “We beg you not to evict the travellers,” it states.

However, the council’s own legal advice is that there has been “a clear and manifest breach of planning control” and that the families have made no serious attempt to find an alternative site.

The legal team asserts the occupation of the land is “wholly unacceptable” and that “appropriate enforcement action” is justified.

The issue has dragged on for more than two-and-a-half years ever since the gipsy families bought the green belt land from Leatherhead crematorium and moved on to it in breach of a court injunction.

Since then, there has been a major public inquiry and a number of court appearances, all of which have gone in the council’s favour. However, the families are still there.

In January this year, the council decided it would take “direct action” to clear the site unless the families moved off by the end of March.